Wire-stretcher



(No Model.)

W. E'. DUNBAR. WIRE STRETOHBR.

No. 367,276. Patented July 26, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIcE...

ILLIAM 'E. DUNBAR, or WAXAEIACHIE, TEXAS.

I WIRE-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,276, dated July 26, 1887.

Application filed June 13, 1887. Serial No. 241,158. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1,.WILLIAM E. DUNBAR, of Waxahachie, in the county' of Ellis and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the' accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in wire-stretchers; and it consists in the combination of a slotted lever provided with points at one end to catch against the side of the post and a hook over which one end of the chain is fastened, a sliding frame, a reel or drum, pawls, a guiding-pulley, a wire or chain, to which the clamp is secured, and a chain for fastening the stretcher to the post, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a slotted handle and a sliding frame in a wirestretching device, so that when the strain of the wire being stretched is brought to bear upon the frame it will tighten, through the sliding frame, the chain or other holding device which secures the lever to the post.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus embodying my inven tion. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

A represents a suitable handle or lever, of

' any desired length or material, which has a longitudinal slot, B, of suitable length, made through it. Upon the inner end of this lever, where it is to bear against the post, are secured or formed suitable points, 0, which'by catching in the post serve to hold the inner end of the lever securely in position while the wire is being stretched.

Applied to one side of the lever Ais the U- shaped frame D, which forms a bearing for the shaft E, upon which the reel or drum F is placed. The shaft E extends notonly through the frame, but through the slot B in the lever A, as shown; and upon one end of the shaft is formed an enlarged head, G, which serves to prevent the shaft from becoming displaced, and attached to the other end of the shaft is the crank or handle I, by means of which the shaft is made to revolve. This U shapedframe tighten it around the post.

which plate forms a bearing both for the clamping-bolt and the shaft E. This sliding frame and the plate upon the opposite side of the lever can be adjusted back and forth upon the lever according to the length of the slot B. One end of the reel or drum is provided with teeth N, as shown, and pivoted. in the frame are the two pawls O, which engage with the teeth and prevent the drum or reel from turning backward. When the lever is used upon one side ofthe post, one pawl will be brought into use, and when used upon the other side the other pawl will be used; but both will never be used at the same time.

Connected to the reel or drum is a wire or chain, P, which has a suitable clamp, Q, attached to its outer end for catching hold of the wire which is to be stretched. To the closed end of the frame is secured a chain or wire, which passes around the. guiding-pulley R, journaled in the outer end of the slot, which chain or wire is to be fastened around the post to which the lever is to be applied for the-purpose of tightening the wire. Secured upon the inner end of the lever, upon the opposite side from the points O,is a suitable hook, over which the end of the chain passes after having been passed around the post.

In using this wire-stretcher the two sharp points Ofare placed flatwise against the post to which you wish to staple the wire which is being stretched. The frame carrying the reel or drum is forced outward in the slot B, and then the chain is passed around the side of the post, and then has its end fastened to the hook R. The handle or outer end of the lever is then turned upon the points 0 until the reel is brought into a line with the wire which is being stretched. In thus. swinging the lever around upon these points 0, which serve as pivots, the points are forced into the side of the post to a greater or less degree, so as to hold the inner end of the lever in position. Should the frame not be steady, another link should be taken up in the chain, soas to When the reel or IOO drum is turned after the clamp has been attached to the wire the strain causes the frame to move to a greater or less extent toward the inner end of the slot, and thus tighten the chain around the post, so as to hold the frame more perfectly in position. The greater the strain upon the wire the more tightly the chain is drawn around the post. Ahandle is formed upon the outer end of the lever, so that should it at any time be inclined to swing around toward the wire it can be readily checked with either the hand or body. The wire being stretched, it is drawn past the post just far enough to drive the staple over the wire.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- In a wire-stretcher, the combination of the slotted lever, the points 0 at its inner end, and the hook over which one end of the holding-chain is fastened," the sliding frame, the reel or drum, the pawls, the guiding-pulley at the end of the slot, the wire or chain to which the clamp is secured, and the chain secured to one end of the frame, by means of which the stretcher is secured to the post, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM E. DUN BAR.

\Vilnesses:

WILLIAM E. WHITMIRE, J OSEPH P. WHITMIRE. 

